Fallout 3 - Reviews @ IGN, GameSpy, GameShark

Well, here we go - the first batch of major web reviews. Let's start with IGN, who have a lengthy 5-page article and a score of 9.6/10. A snip on the writing and dialogue, which they really liked:

The conversations you'll have with the various people you meet in Fallout 3 range from disturbing to hilarious, but they all have one thing in common: fantastic writing. You'll want to hear everything every person has to say, but to do that you'll have to play the game more than once and likely more than a few times. While the dialogue system doesn't take the cinematic leap that Mass Effect did, it brings so much depth that the simple listed responses become quite powerful. Some perks, stats and skills add new conversation options. If your strength is high, you might be able to intimidate someone. If you're playing as a female character, you might be able to flirt your way through a sticky situation with some men. Or, if your speech skill is high enough, you might be able to lie your way to key information. The way you talk to the people you meet can drastically change the story you're writing.

GameSpy note a couple of minor issues - more so that IGN - but the score is still a hefty 5/5. Their article is shorter but also less detailed. Again, they really like the story:

Examples of this presentation are everywhere, from the slides that pop up on the loading screens to the posters that line the walls of the subway. Maybe we're just suckers for retro-futuristic designs, but we couldn't help smiling every time we saw (and by saw, we mean destroyed) a mechanical man that looked strikingly similar to Robbie the Robot from "Lost in Space." We also really enjoyed the engaging and entertaining storyline, which is leaps and bounds better than the run-of-the-mill sword-and-sorcery plot featured in Oblivion.

…and then on to GameShark, who seem to take a balanced view, pointing out a number of deficits but still concluding this is an excellent game. Hardcore Fallout fans will want to take a look at this one, because they do contrast Bethesda's work against the originals. Their rating is 'B+' and here's a critical bit on plot missteps, since the other two reviews have liked the writing so much:

It’ll surely come as no great shock that your dogged pursuit of your father has you stumble onto a much larger story that affects the entirety of the game world. Nor should it be surprising that everything you’re intended to take for granted isn’t necessarily based on reality. The ideas of fighting the “Good Fight” and sacrificing for the sake of others are prominent. But, much like Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, this intricate and compelling story too frequently gets tripped up in its implementation.
Take your aforementioned exit from the vault. Everyone in the vault was born in that vault. Everyone there has spent their lives together. Yet, we’re to believe the day dad leaves, the vault’s Overseer is so enraged that he orders everyone to be confined to quarters, has a man beaten to death, intends to have you killed and threatens to kill anyone else found in the vault’s corridors? Even if the Overseer were established as dangerously unstable, which he isn’t, we’re to believe nearly every vault security officer is willing to listen to these orders and ready to gun down the same vault civvies they’ve known their entire lives, with no questions asked? That doesn’t strain credibility—it holds it over its head and then snaps it over its knee.

I found these pretty encouraging. The IGN fluff aside, the GameShark piece *seems* well written and balanced (not having played the game to check their claims) - they note some missteps that are unfortunate but all in all, I'm looking forward to playing.

The GameShark review roughly confirms my expectations. It would be nice to hear a little more about the quality of the stealth and science gameplay - how does it measure up to DeusEx?
Like Oblivion, it seems a major problem is again the consistency of quality. Great Plot - shoddy execution; Rather deep and skill dependent dialogue - cringeworthy lines. Lots of things to do - too much FedEx. The lack of a diplomatic path is dissapointing, but I saw that coming, given the encounter structure clearly seems to be that of Oblivion (that was obvious from the videos). The failure in the humour department is expected, at least they didn't put too much emphasis on it in the first place. A positive surprise is that the NPC characters get a specifically positive mention. That was not a strength of Bethesda in past games. I am happy to hear that the (visual) Fallout style seems to be spot on - thats really one of the main attractions of playing a first person Fallout.

Well, after first two days of playing Fallout 3 I was very positive too. But now I've found I wanna play it less and less. It lacks something but I can't understand what though. Perhaps it's on account of lacking of old location system. It would be great to see some diversity. Those ruined urban landscapes are great but getting boring as you going further and further.
And 1st perspective is very atmospheric, but combat looks unnatural. I doubt it would take 10 assault rifle shots in the face to kill a raider in real life.
You can say these complaints are minor, and yes they look like minor, but there is something unnatural and boring in the game and I can't understand what so far…

Originally Posted by Kshahdoo
Well, after first two days of playing Fallout 3 I was very positive too. But now I've found I wanna play it less and less. It lacks something but I can't understand what though.
-
You can say these complaints are minor, and yes they look like minor, but there is something unnatural and boring in the game and I can't understand what so far…

Originally Posted by Kshahdoo
Well, after first two days of playing Fallout 3 I was very positive too. But now I've found I wanna play it less and less.

Is it released allready? I havent even received a mail of shipment yet. I heard in US there was som early chance to buy on 27th.

-- “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou
"Those who dont read history are destined to repeat it."– Edmund Burke

-- In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move. Douglas AdamsA lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. Winston ChurchillSome cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. Oscar Wilde

No it hasn't. But I'm a gaming magazine editor so I could get my copy somehow…

To say more about F3. It looks great anyway so far. I'd give it something between 8.5 and 9.0. But as we know all Bethesda's games look great at first or even second glances… I'd like to see what it will look like at 3rd, 4th etc…

I hate Oblivion but Fallout 3 doesn't look like it so far. At least atmosphere and NPCs are much better.

One more thing I don't like about the game. It looks like there are no any items' descriptions like it was in F1 and F2. All you see is some stats they give you and that's all. I'm very careful in using all those buffouts and psychos because I remember they were very addictive in first games. But perhaps they aren't now. Or they are? No descriptions and any other information. Looks like I shoud try them and see what happen.

Voodoo extreme has tons of gameplay videos. It's kind of spoilerish though, so beware. I liked what i saw in those videos so far. If Bethesda releases modding tool i'm sure the many weaknesses will be corrected by fallout communities.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
Plenty of reports of stores breaking the street date as far back as last Friday, just out of interest.

Atleast in UK the "official" release is up to a week later. I.E Amazon.co.uk:"This item will be released on 31 Oct 2008".

If they ship it friday Ill get it next week soonest. Plenty of time to finish fallout tactics.

-- “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou
"Those who dont read history are destined to repeat it."– Edmund Burke

Can't speak for the UK in general but good online stores will ship in advance, so you get it on release day. I've used GAME in the UK myself, for example, and they ship 2 days early to get it to you on or before release day. Release date here in AU is the 30th but many stores had their stock yesterday.

The much-vaunted vaults also left us curiously unenthused. Although the fallout shelters you'll visit during the course of the main quest (namely 112 and 87) are superbly executed, others feel like rubbishy dungeons - with no real payoff for slogging through to their inner sanctums. The word that leaps to mind is 'unfinished' or, rather - like GTA IV before it - maybe some of the most scrummy morsels are being quite deliberately held back for future (inevitable) expansions. If, as we suspect, that turns out to be true, we can't help but feel it's a bit naughty.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
Can't speak for the UK in general but good online stores will ship in advance, so you get it on release day. I've used GAME in the UK myself, for example, and they ship 2 days early to get it to you on or before release day. Release date here in AU is the 30th but many stores had their stock yesterday.